Towns get money to combat floods, monitor streams
The towns of Woodstock, Olive and Shandaken have been awarded funding through the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program to protect communities from flood risks and to monitor local streams.
Woodstock received $112,853 to upsize the Mink Hollow Road bridge to reduce the risk of erosion and bridge loss during floods, according to a press release from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County.
Olive received $199,010 for design and engineering to upsize three road crossings and daylight a short section of stream, the release said. The release said the crossings were recommended for replacement in a completed Local Flood Analysis to prevent the closure of roads and maintain emergency access to homes.
In Shandaken, $47,500 in funding will be used to complete a mandatory fiveyear update of the town’s Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan, the release said. The update will incorporate new data and actions taken by the town to protect businesses, homes and public infrastructure from the effects of flooding.
Also, the U.S. Geological Survey was given $70,306 to complete two studies, the release said. One will develop a strategy for monitoring Esopus Creek trout and other fish populations, while the second will continue water quality monitoring in the Woodland Creek at the site of a stream-restoration project planned for this year.
The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program funding is provided by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and administered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County. Since 2009, the program has awarded $4.4 million for stream management implementation projects in the Ashokan watershed.